Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas and engage with others through spoken language. Throughout their time at Woodseaves, children will build upon the skills which enable them to become effective communicators.

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At Woodseaves, children engage in oracy throughout the curriculum, through answering questions in full sentences, participating in class discussions, developing vocabulary, presenting work in class, performing in productions and through participating in and leading elements of collective worship.

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The impact of oracy being embedded throughout the school is that children leave Woodseaves with the ability and confidence to communicate their needs, ideas and opinions effectively.

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As a school, we put specific scaffolds in place to support children with additional needs which may impact their oracy. This may be through Wellcomm interventions or any necessary adaptations such as technology or Communication in Print. All children are encouraged to engage with group activities and participate in performances, regardless of their ability or confidence. Where children lack the confidence to speak in groups or to an audience, we work with the child and parents/carers to develop confidence and success so that no child is limited.

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Oracy Opportunities at Woodseaves:

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• During maths lessons children have opportunities to discuss their learning, knowledge and reasoning. Children are able to enquire about their learning through maths talk.

• In English lessons our children engage with talk for writing to develop vocabulary and presentational talk.

• In reading sessions, children experience book talk where they explain and provide evidence for their answers based on a text. They are able to present their answer to the class as their audience. Texts are discussed during reading lessons (vocabulary and comprehension) which are taught explicitly. We also employ strategies such as echo reading to support children’s fluency when reading aloud.

• We use knowledge organisers across school that include many talking points for children to reflect on as well as specific vocabulary identified for each unit.

• Across the school, children are given opportunities in to present what they have learnt through technology.

• Children actively engage with peer feedback and are encouraged to evaluate in PE sessions.

• In Science, children are encouraged to question their own predictions and results of experiments. The national curriculum for science reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. Through lessons children learn scientific vocabulary and the ability to articulate scientific concepts clearly and precisely. The working scientifically objectives enable children to develop Oracy skills.

• Religious Education units are split into big questions which immediately spark discussion in classrooms. Vocabulary is developed throughout the big questions and celebration days. 

• At Woodseaves children have opportunities to discuss their learning with curriculum coordinator leads through pupil voice sessions. This is in addition to the input provided by the school council and the Head Boy and Girl team.

• EYFS is the start of our pupils’ oracy journey through school. Staff encourage oracy from an early age through talking stories, retelling stories, scaffolding conversations during free flow time and circle time class discussions. Any barriers to oracy are spotted and acted upon here and interventions to assist with speech are put in place. Communication in Early years is a prime learning area and enables children to meet other milestones at the end of the foundation stage.

• All children are provided with opportunities to participate in drama and role-play. Each class participates in at least one production to a wider audience per year as well as in whole school and key stage performances and concerts and specific class recitals of a unit of work.

• Children are given the opportunity to speak with unfamiliar people with a real purpose, this can be when talking with visitors such as the local vet or visiting authors or when out on trips.

• Children are given the opportunity to present to an audience, for example during whole school assemblies regarding their hobbies and achievements.

• Opportunities to debate different topics, including current affairs, are provided to children. 

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